Verstappen makes F1 rulebook plan to combat confusion

Max Verstappen has quipped that he needs F1’s rulebook “in the car” to understand the overtaking guidelines after his recent clash with Lando Norris.

F1’s rules for wheel-to-wheel combat have been in the spotlight these past few days since the United States Grand Prix in which Verstappen and title rival Lando Norris engaged in a controversial moment at Turn 12. 

The Racing Standards Guidelines stipulate that if a driver has the front axle of his car ahead at the apex of a corner in battle against a rival, then they are entitled to the line through that particular turn.  

Norris attempted to go around the outside of Verstappen under braking. The three-time F1 champion, however, went too deep, forcing wide and off track where he passed the Red Bull.

The Briton was handed a five-second time penalty for overtaking whilst off track, despite George Russell picking up the same sanction for forcing Valtteri Bottas off in a similar manner as Verstappen had done earlier in the race.

Reflecting on the situation, Verstappen provided a novel solution.

“I think we are getting to a stage where I almost need a [rule] book in the car,” Verstappen told media including RacingNews365.

“That is how it is. If you look over the years, the book has grown quite a lot with more rules.

“It is definitely over-regulated, but then I can also see the other point of view of if we take rules away, and there is an incident, it will be, ‘Oh, we need more rules’.

“You need to be strong on this. It is always the same thing because in the past, if you have fewer rules, you’d have the same argument that we need to be strong on this or that. It is the same story.”